South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1887-11-11
Seth Dakin's "Figgerin. ;"
BY MRS. NJ. L. RAYNE.

his youth up, he had been "'iiggerin', y
as he pronounced it, form of expires
sion common to most business men, and
some women, not Bostonian in elegance,
but very popular with "the masses"
lie did some fggerin' when he made
mp his mind to marry sweet, pretty
Neelie NARROW who taught in the pri-
mary department of the public school,
and had known him since she was a wee
fodder and he was gawky, freckled-
face school boy.
1--we been fggerin', +" he said to his land =
lady, as he sat one night with pencil AMI
paper before him. She had looked in
to collect his board bill, week before
1t was due, to protect herself.
''Tve figgered it ont that lis as cheap
Tor two To live as one / mean that 1t
won't cost me any more to get married
and take care of a wife than it does to
live single. You see, I've figgered it all
out. The same fire will do for both,
and won't have to pay out for mend :
ing, and there's a lot of ways a young
man spends money with his friends that
he can save if he has some one to look
after him. I've got it all down here and
added up, and there is balance in favor
OF my plan on the credit side
He's figgerin' on the rule that what
amt enough for one, is plenty and to
spare for two" thought his landlady !:
"'twont work, but it's none of NV
affairs"
Seth Dakin married the little school
mistress, and for brief year thew
boarded with his former landladv in
such pinched and sublued style that
they were comfortably wretched most Of
the time, and had it not been for the
genuine love that existed between them
could never have survived their domes-
TIC hardships. At the end of the year
Seth did some more 'figgerin'."
This time he figured himself into a
house and lot, on some installment plan.
and it looked so feasible that Neelie
clapped her hands with enthusiasm
very thin white hands they were too.
''Are you sure 1t can be donel" She
asked anxiously, as she reckoned up the
long column of items. "Can we ever
pay for them
Easiest thing in the world, dear. y
Seth answered gently. lie was very
fond of Neclie Ii she had no cloak fit
to wear neither did he have any over
coat, but went ont on the coolest dov
buttoncd up and trim.
You've forgotten your overcoat, Mr.
Dakin, said polite friend to him one
day, aren't You coldi'
'N-n-n-cve" w-wear o-o-ne," STAN
mered the poor fellow shivering like a
hungry dog over bone. 81 s-s-should
d-despisc TO r-r-oll up Like an GOLD
"-Woman :.
lon see he was only a clerk on a beg
carly stipend in a time and place that
demanded Injuries carpets and bare
hoors, meat and pie instead Of brown
io'ves or cabbages aud leans; hc could
as well have turned cannibal as to have
tricd 70 ito without the kind Of food
thcy had been reared upon.
Triggers don't lie he said, cheer
IuIIy, 'Neelic, wei have a home"
ms house was built for them and
'hey moved IN. For another year they
punched AMI saved, aud pared down to
inc Done. Then Seth began to "fgger'
again.
rms time 1t was the baby
He was rs cheerful and light hearted
not the baby but seth-as if the debt
on the house was not staring them in
the face. He whistlcd and sung and
one night he sat down by NccIie and
showed n two long columns Of credit